Cost of New Bus Stop: $1 Million

The new prototype “Super Stop” at the corner of Columbia Pike and Walter Reed Drive cost $575,000 for construction and fabrication and $440,000 for construction management and special inspections, according to Arlington County Department of Environmental Services spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel.

Of the $1 million cost, just over $200,000 was paid for by the county, with the rest coming from VDOT, Whalen McDaniel said.

Much of the hefty cost can be attributed to the fact that the enhanced bus stop was a prototype for what will eventually be a network of 24 “Super Stops” up and down Columbia Pike, according to Whalen McDaniel. The stops will serve the future Columbia Pike streetcar system.

“Since this stop is the first of its kind, the cost is higher than your typical off-the-shelf bus shelter,” she said. “The costs will be greatly reduced with future stops moving forward, as the construction costs for this prototype included a number of first time design and set-up costs.”

“It’s too early to provide a cost estimate for the future stops, but it will be much less,” Whalen McDaniel said.

The Walter Reed stop features shelter for some 15 passengers, lighting, an electronic display that shows when the next buses are coming, and a number of unbranded newspaper boxes. It opened last week after nearly a year and a half of on-again, off-again construction activity.

Crews are expected to begin work this spring on a “Barton West” Super Stop near Penrose Square, followed by work on new stops at Columbus and Dinwiddie Streets later this summer.

The former head of DES’ Engineering and Capital Projects is now head of all of DES: expect more of the same.

http://twitter.com/zippychance Rick Williams

I bet these costs aren’t lumped in with the streetcar either, since this is an older project. Keep running up that tab!

Josh S

Uh, no, they wouldn’t be, since there is no streetcar.

DCBuff

“Since this stop is the first of its kind, the cost is higher than your typical off-the-shelf bus shelter,” she said. “The costs will be greatly reduced with future stops moving forward, as the construction costs for this prototype included a number of first time design and set-up costs.”
Well, then WTH didn’t they go with an “off-the-shelf” shelter? What, nobody, anywhere, has put in a bus shelter before? Can hardly wait for the excuses to start popping when the trolley goes in.

drax

Because it’s planned to be a trolley station rather than a bus shelter. Like the article says.

acdc hack

Oh, that is different…people waiting for a trolley have vastly different requirements than people waiting for a bus !!

drax

I haven’t been to this stop to see what it’s like or seen the design, but yeah, people waiting for a trolley have vastly different requirements. They will be charged their fare when entering the station, not the trolley car, like Metro. This thing might be designed to be easily converted from stop to station.

At minimum, you could actually go find out for yourself what they mean, instead of assuming it has no merit based on your complete ignorance of the situation.

Josh S

Err, you might want to visit the thing. Or even just look at the pictures. There is no “entering the station.” Its relationship to the sidewalk is no different than any other bus shelter – you walk right up and wait for the bus. I haven’t noticed anyplace that would vend a streetcar ticket. The only thing that makes it obvious that a streetcar might be visiting in the future is the raised sidewalk and bumpy edges.
I will also say that the display screen showing next bus arrival times is really cool and all that, except that it is at torso level. Meaning that if someone is standing in front of it, no one can see when the next bus is coming. It would be far more useful if it were raised above your head so that this was not a problem.

drax

I can tell that from the photo, Josh. I’m not saying it’s a station now. Apparently they plan to easily convert it to a station, that’s my point.

thelevyisdry

And the screen faces west, so when the sun gets low it totally washes out the display screen and you have to strain to read anything.

bobbytiger

Check it out drax. You can’t miss it. It looks like a bus stop.

drax

I’m sure it does.

I’m also capable of knowing that I don’t know everything and can’t just look at a bus stop and know everything about it. You guys should try that some time – not assuming you know everything.

I’ll at least wait to learn more from the county on how they think this will work before judging.

speonjosh

Wait, you think they’re going to spend MORE money on this in the future? I’m skeptical on that.

Mary-Austin

Oh, you’re right as always. Any streetcar related expense is completely justified. They know exactly what they’re doing.

Jeff

I can’t find it now, but I could have sworn I read something about the street car only having ticket/fare purchases on board in order to make things run more smoothly. Does anyone else recall? Maybe I’m getting it confused with another city’s streetcar that I was reading about.

drax

No, it’s the opposite – charging a fare to enter a station makes it run more smoothly. Unlike a bus, people don’t have to line up to pay their fare at the door, they just get on.

Jeff

I found the article I was thinking about. It refers to Portland’s streetcar system, which appears to be successful from the little I’ve read about it. The on-car fare system reduces costs by avoiding additional station design costs and security concerns, plus adds to rider convenience by not having to worry about missing the car while you’re purchasing a fare.

Uh…Philadelphia’s trolleys collect fare when you step on the car. Toronto’s too. Why can’t they do the same here in Arlington? Or are they going to have $1B trolley cars that can’t do that?

Kat

People waiting for the trolley want a place that looks nice — form over function. remember, they’re not poor.

kalashnikev

Hopefully those requirements don’t include: 1) an opaque roof to block the blazing sun. 2) Walls to stop chilling winds 3) an effective design to keep rain out and people dry.

dan

Yeah, people waiting for a trolley have vastly different requirements than people waiting for a bus……….

DCBuff

How? Because they need somewhere to recycle their froyo cups when they are finished, and we all know that froyo eaters only ride trolleys?

drax

And that display board will switch from English to Czech so everyone can pretend they are in Prague.

dan

You are right, I forgot about all of the empty froyo containers…..they have probably put in some sort of froyo container atomizer that zaps the container back to fertile garden soil suitable for growing chicken food to feed to all of our back yard poultry operations !!

kalashnikev

Is that a joke?

Jeff

The article simply states “The stops will eventually serve the Columbia Pike streetcar system.” It makes no mention of it requiring no or minimal further expenditures to convert it to the streetcar stop.

drax

It doesn’t say either way. Maybe this is all that it will be, I don’t know.

moiraeve1

Does the $1 Million include the cost of software development to feed the info to the electronic displays? Or does it just include the “bricks-and-mortar”?

speonjosh

Presumably a large portion of that went into the technology of the stop. Otherwise, there it is very difficult to conceive of the materials and labor for that thing coming close to a million dollars.

Cindy

my goodness… Arlington really knows how to spend $$$! I always feel like these projects costs are sooooo inflated! What’s the procurement procedure like for the county??

drax

Did you read past the 3rd paragraph, Cindy?

moneybags

Yeh Cindy, Most of it comes from VDOT and they get their money from…………………………… uh, never mind.

Desire

It’s much too pretty for a mere bus, it deserves a streetcar.

Really

When the bus stop costs more than the bus…………

fatkidspecial

truly special.

acdc hack

Yes, it does make one proud to be an Arlingtonian !!

Where else could you have a bus stop that cost a million dollars and WON’T keep you dry or protected from the wind ??

G Clifford Prout

But I heard it magically cleans itself after a hobo takes a
wee wee in it.

dan

Now that is technology worth paying for !!

roycroft

Wow! I was commenting on the cost of this stop over the weekend. Sounds like a bureaucratic mess if the county really spent this much money. 950,000 on planing 50 on the actual project.

Garden City

It makes sense. Old rule of manufacturing: the first one costs $1M. They’re $10 each after that.

ArlingtonWay

Seriously. It’s outrageous. A million dollar bus stop. You can’t make it up. And it still won’t keep people dry in a storm. Christ!

duhdoyduh

…and you can’t read an article begining to end.

datcv

What, that it was a prototype? You could build a f–king mansion that no one else had built before for a million dollars. And that includes the land underneath it! Living near DC has infected your ability to understand money.

Shin

Exactly. The guy’s name is “duhdoyduh”, how appropriate.

Christ

Yes?

Jesus H Christ

Pay no nevermind to that guy; he’s been impersonating me for years. Bless you ArlingtonWay.

Let_Them_Eat_Cake

As long as the Board of Clowns is in charge, this is par for the course.

davis

They keep with the tradition of giving it a fancy name (Super Stop) in hopes that they can prevent the general public from realizing that — as you pointed out — it is a regular ole bus stop.

Straspocolypse

How many homeless people can live in it?

http://www.vincebullinger.com Vince Bullinger

For the price tag of $1 million, I’d expect a small apartment complex. Maybe 12 units? Or a hostel-like environment, since they’re homeless, so maybe 30? Oh, wait, none? Never mind…

Chris M.

I’d say that “much of the hefty cost can be attributed” to a lack of proper planning, a lack of proper oversight, and a lack of respect when spending other people’s money.

milehisnk

The Rule of P.
Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

G Clifford Prout

How much to repair when some numbnut plows into it with their SUV while texting?

Dm

Maybe they will fix the roof when that happens.

http://www.vincebullinger.com Vince Bullinger

$4 billion. Why?

http://www.facebook.com/aattura Azar Attura

WASTE of money!!!! It is UGLY, does not keep you sheltered from the elements, and took TWO years to build!!! ALL they needed to do was add a “Next Bus” sign to the pre-existing kiosk, and leave it at that.

Steve1855

Whatever happened to a simple bench inside of a simple enclosure to keep the wind and rain out? If its a busy stop put up 2 of them. Sell ad space within the shelter to offset the costs. For a million dollars I can invest in a nice custom house in the best neighborhood or I can open a restaurant or other small business. But no, Arlington built a bench. The spending priorities are terrible.

datcv

Not fancy enough for the overpaid government contractors that live in Arlington.

Atticus Fisticuffs

As one of those “over paid gov’t contractors” I take offense to that. I am quite happy standing outside to wait for the bus.

Salmon Ella

I am all for spending on infrastructure, but I am not for being stupid about it.

drax

Sure is smart to build bus stations that will seamlessly transition to trolley stations instead of having to tear it down and start over.

DCBuff

In another post you say, “This thing might be designed to be easily converted from stop to station.” So, “converted” to you means the same as “seamlessly transition?” I can only guess you had a personal hand in the design/build of this thing to explain your defending an indefensible waste of taxpayer funds.

drax

Sigh.

When you can simply add to something without having to tear it down or completely modify it, that’s a “conversion” with a “seamless transition.”

I also posted that I haven’t even been there. But I don’t need to go there to figure out what the county spokesman is talking about when he says the stop is designed to easily convert to a trolley stop. Duh.

ArlingtonWay

Well it is going to be a trolley stop. We get that. But how is a trolley stop really any different from a bus stop, and how is it acceptable for either to cost a million freaking dollars? That’s the point. Your comments make it sound like because they are building the trolley (which many think is ridiculously overpriced) that this ridiculously overpriced shelter is also OK.

drax

I’m only explaining the county’s logic, not defending it. I’m just reading the article for you.

drax

And clearly the cost went over budget, as the delays indicate. Part of this is the county’s spin for that screw up, I know that. But we can’t know how much. We need to see the original budget for the thing.

Let_Them_Eat_Cake

+100

Mary-Austin

seamless transition…lol

http://www.facebook.com/brian.blamberg Brian Blamberg

Bus stop or trolley stop, its still a huge waste of money. Could you copy and paste the part about it becoming a “station” Thanks in advance

novasteve

I bet you if they just put a wind turbine up behind it, 50% of the people complaining would become instantly happy about it.

Josh S

If you mean on top of it and that the turbine would provide the stop’s electricity, then yes, that would be an improvement.

novasteve

Yup, and if they put wind turbines on the swimming pool, half of the people complaining would stop. Instant feel good moment. They could also advertise the people who build the pool will drink only fair trade coffee.

speonjosh

Given the nature of the people who are complaining, I would think wind turbines would be just something else to make fun of. But I don’t really understand your point here. You make something better, and cheaper, yet that means it’s just a “feel good moment” and worthy of ridicule?

ID

Rockets and lasers would be better. Why, if your the Board just advertise a nice high tax rate. i.e. From .97 cents to $1.02 per $100. Hell, the taxpayer is the limit. With every advertised proposed tax increase, I see more For Sale signs than the prior increase notice. If Arlington was a person and looked in the mirror, it would see Detroit.

speonjosh

Ha.
Ha ha.
Ha ha ha ha ha.

confused

“We don’t need no stinking trolley, city X did well with a quality BRT system”
“Here’s what you need for a quality BRT system – among other things stops with lighting, stops with information, shelters that can shelter more than just a couple of people”
“We don’t need no stinking BRT…….”

Let_Them_Eat_Cake

Our goal is to bring a network of streetcar lines to Arlington through education and advocacy (through our taxes)…BARF! “Advocacy and Education.” WAFJ!

Let_Them_Eat_Cake

Why even have an advocacy group when it appears a forgone conclusion the Board of Clowns is going ahead with the Folly Trolley? At a million a pop, taxpayers are already on the hook for $4 million for Super Shelters that won’t even keep a person dry in the rain? I feel like i’m taking crazy pills whenever I read about how this this acts…

Atticus Fisticuffs

Um…it said the rest of them would cost “much less” than the original one…they will probably only be in the ball park of $450K each. Clearly a great deal for everyone.

Josh S

I’m not exactly happy about the cost either, but I think when you rant, you should try to keep your facts straight.
Not a million a pop.
And, speaking from experience, it is possible to be sheltered from the elements in this.

Let_Them_Eat_Cake

The first one was $1M. I guarantee you’ll see the same for the next 3 stations.

Atticus Fisticuffs

It is a good thing we are working with a trillion dollar or so surplus here in Arlington! In what world does it cost $1M for a bus stop? I can accept that the first one can cost more than follow on structures, but this is rididulous. How can you not have an estimate of what those will cost? That is Project Management 101. Saying “it should cost much less” is not a frickin estimate. This is just another example of officials completely failing to be good stewards of tax payer money.

datcv

The world where your friends who do government contracting need to get paid back for all those campaign contributions they gave.

Atticus Fisticuffs

Touche

Mary-Austin

Unfortunately I have a feeling this is a sign of future things to come with the streetcar. Massive cost overruns, extra years of headaches do to bureaucratic incompetency but on a massive scale.

Also, why do we need another one of these things 2 short blocks away? We need to be encouraging people to walk their obese selves a few extra steps.

Josh S

(Psssstt…….cause it’s on the other side of the street.)

Mary-Austin

Touche…Can’t have million dollar bus stop on just one side of the street.

drax

Why? What’s special about a streetcar that is causes massive cost overruns?

Ironically, this is a bus stop, yet you don’t blame massive cost overruns on the bus system that most people who oppose the trolley want instead.

Mary-Austin

Why would the construction of a streetcar line go smoothly with an entity that allows a covered bench with monitors to take over a year to build and cost $1 million. Obviously money is no object to these people.
Also, the people advocating for a modern bus system are likely the ones that think million dollar stops are absurd.

drax

But that would apply to every capital project in the county too – is every project in the county massively over budget?

SJM

Because we already have a bus system. According to the article (if you had read it), the exorbitant expense is due to this magical bus stop being the first of its kind. So it can’t be due to the buses because we already have bus stops.

How perverse fiscal logic can get…

drax

Uh, no, SJM, we didn’t already have this bus stop.

Mary-Austin hates the trolley so she’s blaming this on the trolley, and connecting it to cost overruns she thinks only apply to trolleys somehow.

stifeler

What about tearing down the Rite Aid and building a Halstead II.

DanFromNVa

Even at half the cost that subsequent stops will cost, I gotta say, this is an outrageous expense. Common sense dictates that a bus stop at the very most protects the waiting passengers from rain and maybe wind. Anyone who rides a bus and absolutely requires more current information than the knowledge that another bus will be there eventually can get that information on their smartphone; it doesn’t need to be beamed electronically to a high-end kiosk. It really, really doesn’t. It’s a bus stop, not a moon landing. And even at half the cost, why do they cost more than the construction of a house, with plumbing, building materials, fixtures, etc. There is simply and plainly no rational justification for this expenditure.

SJM

Their argument would be “what about serving the underserved who don’t have smartphones?!” Of course, they’d have to buy umbrellas for the “underserved” as well…

Bubba 24

This is outrageous waste of taxpayer money from Virginia and Arlington. Honestly, it can’t be defended.

Suburban Not Urban

Does anyone know what the Bus stops look like in Beverly Hills, Manhattan, Redmond or Palm Springs? Bet they aren’t 1M/piece

Norville Rogers

Unbelievable. What a waste of money.

John Fontain

Instead of spending $1,015,000 for one bus stop, we could have purchased two “regular” bus stops for this location at a total cost of $10,808* and used the remaining $1,004,192 to buy 3,052 iPad Mini’s at $329 each so that each and every user of that bus stop would be able to individually figure out what time the next bus is coming.

Or we could have purchased 187 “regular” bus stops at $5,404 each and literally put them on every single block on the Pike and not needed to spend any more on future bus stops. See:

But see you are using logic and thinking about if it was your own money and spending I wisely.

Mailady

If you build it, they still won’t come………

JimBob

The amount of money spent on this “super stop” would have built a network of bustops and the buses also in SW VA. This is mismanagement of public monies.

youngjeezy

I was the contractor on this. I needed a ridiculous profit margin to fund my diamond grillz. No other place in the country was dumb enough to pay that.

Mc

This looks like a worthwhile project done poorly. Yes, more stops are desireable, but not with this design. The designer should not get fees for something this badly conceived.

Incredulous

In addition to the other comments, am I the only one who finds $440k in “construction management and special inspections” to be a wee bit high for a $575k contract? Seems like either they’re paying waaaaay too much in salaries and / or consultant costs, OR they are extremely careless about charging time. In either case, I vote for an audit.

damiec

No you are not. That relationship between bricks and mortar and soft costs speaks volumes about how careless the county board is with taxpayer money. An audit is definitely in order!

moiraeve1

I hope they assign somebody to keep those electronic displays updated and well-maintained. We have a similar electronic display where I work, and after the first couple months, nobody ensured they worked or updated the information. They were touch-screen, and supposed to tell you how to find anyone in the building. Ha! If only. Now they sit there, kind of useless.

Donna McV

WOW – this county is OUT OF CONTROL

Rodney

Look at the pool complex they are going to build in Crystal City. 80 Million. You could build the same facility with 3 laps pools instead of 1 for that kind of money. Contractors must love Arlington County. Hey Butch! Triple the estimate and then add 20 more percent for good measure. Remember they are over educated Arlingtonians and think they are real smart.

John Fontain

That about sums it up alright.

Hugh Jass

One. Million. Dollars. Bwahahahahahahaha!

Hardy Har

Just like Arlington, too. Not only outrageously expensive, mismanaged, likely micromanaged, and missing the mark in terms of actual functionality…but it also involved stealing tax dollars from the rest of Virginia. Bravo.

That million dollars could have refurbished the old homeless shelter. Expression of that idea just instantly disqualified me from being elected to the county board…

drax

Stealing? You can’t steal from VDOT. If VDOT gave the county the funds, then VDOT is responsible.

Rory

Why tilt the roof like that?

speonjosh

This is one common comment in this thread that I just don’t understand. Peaked roofs are as common as dirt. Why WOULDN’T you tilt the roof?

ArlingtonWay

Um, so that the rain does not blow into the shelter on those waiting for the bus or trolley? Which is why most bus shelters have a level but slightly domed roof, allowing water to run off but still acting as a, oh, I don’t know, ROOF, for those using it?

Tukas

But this one only works when the rain blows in the correct direction. A change in the wind and you’re all wet. #smh

TXPayer

Was the contractor required to meet Buy America? Or did it provide jobs in another country??? DC is full of shelters made in China and Canada.

lanadeltacobell

Why didn’t they do this on at the next bus stop (barton street & columbia pike) that bus stop shelter is busted.

Ryan

Thats ridiculous! It also took a nearly whole year to construct! The bus stop is not even designed to keep at least 10 waiting passengers warm or sheltered from rain. The only function it has are the seats (which is standard for any bus stop), monitor with estimated arrival times, and is just visually appealing. That’s quite a hefty price tag. Heck, one could build a large house for that price and serve waiting passengers better!

damiec

And because we’re spending hand over fist on idiocies like this we have to cut fire, police and school nurses. There are many reasons I love Arlington, but this board with it’s bizzarro set of budgeting priorities is not among them.

Tai mai shy

and the left still does not believe our gov should cut spending.

Phill Emerson

and you wonder why they always say we dont have money for little johnny to do his homework theres where your next yrs book budget went

Haddicus

Good thing it’s shiny though… Form over function, I always say. no matter the cost!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=783109328 Scott Alexander

Obviously someone got a deal for a friend to start up a new company. The city/state provided the money needed to buy the tools, not just materials to create this bus stop. This just isn’t right. It should be respectable companies getting these deals. This is blatant corruption. I bet this was a no-bid contract too.

Bus Stop Billionaire

You want shelter from wind AND rain? That’s gonna cost at least two million dollars.

Patricia Hill Stokes Zoeller

It’s an open shed….. not even an enclosed SHED! IDIOTS!!!!

Mike-Mat

What the heck makes it a “Super Stop”, the fact that it was approved by “Super Stupid” bureaucrats. An electronic display for the schedule? How about a display case showing a poster of the bus schedule. BOOM, I probably just saved $80K. And…. 1.5 years to build a Bus Stop. How ridiculous.

http://www.facebook.com/WesleyMarkEskildsen Wesley Mark Eskildsen

seriously? What is the thing made of Gold? Was it designed by Picasso? Next time, put up a sign and a bench and sell advertising space on the bench to pay for the whole thing.

UpperTen

WTF- Why did they not throw in a $50,000 toilet too?

J.James

WOW What a fleeing. For a million the thing should have restaurant inside and bath rooms Not to mention a roof and maybe some walls

The Walter Reed stop features shelter for some 15 passengers, lighting, an electronic display that shows when the next buses are coming, and a number of unbranded newspaper boxes.

Wow it holds 15 people for shelter at the cost of a million dollars and they can buy newspapers? I somehow doubt an electronic display should cost anywhere near as much as that.

I get the feeling a box with windows and an opening to keep out of the rain and wind for 20 could have been built for much less. Not as pretty but it does the job 10x better

Visitor

All the comments/reactions that I read (see below) show that we, THE PEOPLE, disagree with the way THE POLITICIANS appropriate OUR (not the goverment’s) money. If we agree that this is a most shameful abuse of power, then we should do something more than gripe about it!

Determine who is at fault, impeach them from office, or vote for a more reasonable candidate in the future. If they are not elected officials, then impeach or vote out the politician that appointed them.

Determine the cause of the problem and correct it.

disgusted with Government

This waste is completely universal at this point, whether it’s in Virginia, in DC, or anywhere else. Government has completely disconnected from citizen, and has made it very clear that they intend to spend 100% of every dollar we make.

Screw them all. It’s time for someone to hit the button.

Douglas Hurst

Wanna bet?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=855890312 Jacqueline Bilowus

And there’s no trash can.

JayDub

Wow. I’m in the wrong business, and Arlington Leadership is stupid. No wonder the Arlington police are so ticket happy. Nothing else to do and someone has to pay for this crap.

Col Pick

What’s with the metal bench? To freeze your butt in the winter and burn it in the summer? Look but don’t touch. Hey, for $1 mil I want Trex!

http://www.facebook.com/scottynutz Scott Malone

super stupid!

Col Pick

I don’t care that Arlington “only” paid $200,000. That amount is still a lot of money to spend on a bus stop, never mind wasting another $800,000 of other people’s money on it as well. This is not responsible stewardship.

Doug Kaiser

We gotcha beat. We’re looking at paying 900G to look at sidewalks and take pictures. No actual repair work done, just an evaluation of the condition of our sidewalks. I’ve done the math for you $180 a mile for someone to walk around with a clipboard and camera. Contact the city for a job application.

During the winter one of you locals should open a vendor stand next to the bus stop. You could make a bundle selling ponchos and umbrellas!

http://www.facebook.com/lorinj3 Lorin Johnson

GEEEEZZZZZ….for 1 mil I could have built the same thing with built-in seat and back massage, climate controlled seating and a 20% under the table kick back!!!!

socalpanman

What a great example of political spending. A bus stop may have a practical purpose but built for a government system the practical purpose is not providing shelter or even much comfort while waiting it’s to send a message of the grandness of this provision and scrolling public service announcements to the point propaganda of the benevolent government provider.

disgusted with Government

In other words, Virginia has a gold-plated government. Form over function, cost is no issue, the hell with the taxpayers, because the government wants to build something GRAND.

Screw it all.

cinderella…

this is what happens in union shops…

Aaronlw

Wow, this is crazy. This bus stop tells you when the bus is coming. This is not new, or at least not million-dollar-type of new.

SJM

Arlington politicians are getting people ready for an outrageously overpriced & overbudget trolly by starting with an outrageously overpriced and overbudget first stop. It’s priming expectations.

P.S. Toff

Who cares if only $200,000 was paid with Arlington money. $800,000 would still be too much for a bus stop, so Arlington didn’t even need to put money in the first place.

J C

I’m glad people here are seeing what a waste government is with taxpayers money.
You can bash the teaparty all you want but this is exactly what they are talking about…big government is bad and wasteful.
The best thing we can have is low taxes and us determining where our money goes through capitalism. Not through government and whoever they deem a winner and loser.
If you could have $500 to spend or $500 to pay in taxes so the government spends it, who do you think is going to make that money go farther but also wiser?
Government is needed but big government is wasteful.

wph5939

So, do none of the respondents believe that we should improve the transportation system to increase ridership, which would drive more money to said system. Do you give the same oversight to private industries that advertise to you ad-nausea, which you may ignore, and complain about the wasted money they spend to get you to buy their burger?

Can’t speak for you, but having a display that tells me an accurate time to expect the next bus to arrive would be more convincing to me to take the bus. Especially in the later hrs when regularity is a bit off.

Of course I’d also like WMATA and ART to address the stacking of busses, but I also understand there’s only so much that can be done during rush hr (but 5 am, c’mon!).

I also think there’s a disconnect on what construction costs actually cost now…though $1M is a bit excessive by any measure

wph5939

The insipid nastiness of the comments of those who won’t, or refuse to, use the system is disheartening. Especially as they would probably benefit from the advantages of such an attractive and more used system, whether they decide, or need, to use it. They can continue to drive to work in their luxury cars while the rest use the bus in it’s current form…or they can continue to be driven to work in their limos while the rest use a state of the art system that provides an incentive for others to buy property in the area and increase their own property value and net worth.
But who cares, it’s all about the money now and that I can park in DC for $10 a day (maybe)…multiply that by hundreds…

Their reasoning is insane. If they built normal bus stops, by the time they need the new bus stops, the technology would be much cheaper. Some contractors pocketed a lot of tax payer money on this one.